In many different settings working dogs and their handlers are required to jump, rappel or ascend as a unit. These activities routinely occur in military operations, border patrols, police work, mountain climbing, search and rescue and other pursuits where working dogs must accompany their handlers while descending from buildings, cliffs or helicopters and on some occasions making the reverse ascent. Traditionally a vest or straight jacket with attachment devices is fitted to the dog with one or more straps interconnecting the dog and the handler. Various arrangements for positioning the dog vis-à-vis the handler have been devised including an arrangement where the dog is between the legs of the handler and one where the dog is next to the abdomen of the handler. These systems suffer from several severe problems. The existing systems do not secure the dog to the handler in a fashion that keeps them in a fixed position with respect to one another in the event that the handler is tipped, tilted or, in the extreme, turns upside down. Furthermore, prior art single point, or even double point, connections between dog and handler allow the dog to swing like a pendulum when rappelling. Such connections also leave the dog sufficient freedom of movement that it can make the handler unstable, especially when rappelling over a cliff where the dog can reach the terrain with its legs and feet. Such circumstances to not inspire the confidence and self assurance that is required of a working dog and also distract the handler from attention to his/her mission.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a harness system for interconnecting a dog and handler that will secure the dog to the handler's back in such a manner that their positions with respect to one another will remain fixed regardless of the attitude, position or orientation of the handler.
Another object of the invention is to provide a harness system where, upon completing the descent, the dog can be readily detached from the back of the handler without another's assistance and each can be ready for his respective working assignment without having to remove the individual harness from either the dog or the handler.
A further object of the invention is to provide a harness system that will secure a dog to a handler is such a manner that the dog will not have the freedom of movement to create instability of the handler.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a system whereby neither dog nor handler are fatigued by maintaining the secure rappelling connection between them during the time a transporting aircraft is traveling to the drop zone. According to the invention the dog can be loosely connected to the handler with some freedom of movement, including standing, pending arrival over the working area. After reaching the rappel point, with one hand of the handler, the dog can be quickly pulled in close and locked tightly against the handler's back for the “rappel ready” position.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description of a preferred form of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.